The present invention relates generally to fishing gear and specifically to gear incorporating means for sinker release upon a fish strike.
Known in the prior art are various types of fishing gear which provide for sinker release upon sudden tensioning of the fishing line or leader. The primary advantage of such arrangements is that the ensuing contest with the fish is not detracted from by the weight of a sinker. Examples of fishing gear providing for release of a submerged sinker are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,081,574; 3,195,262; 3,218,751; and 3,605,319.
To the extent of present knowledge, none of the prior art arrangements are currently in wide use for one reason or another. Certain drawbacks are noted in one or more of the prior art arrangements, such drawbacks including the requirement that the sinker be of a specific configuration necessitating costly molding operations; the release means for the sinker is incapable of withstanding severe dynamic forces encountered in casting of a lure; complex wire configurations susceptible to snagging underwater obstructions or entanglement with the line as well as being costly to manufacture.